Metal piling



M. G. HILPERT METAL FILING Oct. 25, 1932.

Filed Oct. l0. 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet l M. G. HILPERT Oct. 25, 1932.

METAL FILING Filed Oct. 10. 1927 4 Shee'S-Sheet 2 VMTN/isses- ,mivrGeogelil eri,

Oct. 25, 1932. M G. HILPERT 1,884,686

METAL FILING Filed 001'.. 10. 1927 4 Shee'bS-Shee 3 31a/venison MeierGeozgeHiflaer/L,

aulo/snug Patented Oct. 25, 1932 UNITED STATES MEIER GEORGE HILPERT, OFBETH-LEHFM, IEENNSYLVANIA METAL FILING Application led October 10, 1927.

This invention relates to metal piling and more particularly to a novelconstruction which permits of a wide range of different embodiments ofthe structural elements used whereby many advantages result both to themanufacturer, designer and user.

Steel piling as used for the construction of dams, docks, seawalls,Water bulkheads, casings, break waters, wharves, dikes, loclrs and otherforms of construction where it is necessary to resist the percolation ofwater has many recognized advantages over wood piling, and theseadvantages have been long recognized in the art. The first departurefrom wood piling to steel piling involved principally a fabricatedconstruction made up of bolted or riveted standard sections or platesarranged to provide interlocks so as to allow each sheet or pile to bedriven one against the otherin a continuous wall. Such constructionhowever, was soon displaced by rolled steel piling since the fabricatedpiling was not economical either as to weight per square foot or costper pound, and was not easily driven or pulled. This last factor alonewas quite determining in the departure from fabricated piling to rolledpiling, since a large part of the cost of a sheet steel wall is the costof placing and then removing it after it has served its purpose, and itwas found that the many rivets per lineal foot of a fabricated pilingnot only required more power to drive each sheet a given distance, butalso required much heavier machines to drive the same satisfactorily.Naturally heavier machinery drives the whole piling more severely andthus reduces its value for re-driving, which means a further loss of themoney invested.

Accordingly, rolled steel sheet piling has been generally andextensively used in preference to a fabricated piling of the typereferred to but there is still a serious handicap to this type ofpiling, namely, the cost of a set of rolls for each size and type. Thevarying combinations required to meet different kinds of soils, variouspractical depths, and different purposes, as for example, a retainingwall, or for water tightness, or for foundations, or as a seawall, etc.,eachrequire a Serial N0. 225,269.

different piling for each case, and the most economical piling for eachparticular installation can be readily determined. However, the cost ofthe rolls limits any one manufacturer to but a few sections of his typeof piling; that is, to his particular type of intei-lock and some ofthese sections can only be rolled at an increased cost. Therefore, theuser is usually required to adopt a section which is only partiallysatisfactory in order to limit the cost.

Therefore, a primary object of the present invention is to overcome theobjections noted by providing a construction to which due considerationhas been given to all of the factors entering into the design,manufacture and use of steel sheet piling. In that connection theinvention contemplates the use of a rolled steel sheet piling sectionhaving an interlock at each edge, the same being split or divided andused in combination with intervening standard plate sections which forma web or panel therebetween and are united to the inside edges of therolled section by welding thereby to provide a rigid and homogeneousstructure. In its primary aspect, therefore, the present invention notonly per mits of the use of any desired type of interlock design to meetvarious requirements but also permits of designing the web or panel tomeet any strength or soil condition encountered at a particular site orinstallation, thus deep arching of the web may now be designed to meetthe loadings to be imposed.

In the above connection an important object of the invention is that itpermits the shallowing up or lessening of the arching of the web for anydesired portion of the pilings length. This feature, combined with theaccented methods of driving, to wit, setting up and interlocking all ofthe piling as in cylinders, squares, rectangles and even in walls, andthen driving part way successivel and repeating until fully driven makespossi le two new attainments in steel sheet piling; (l) a piling whichwhen driven will have a constantly tightening interlock above a certaindepth, to wit, a desired unwatering depth; (2) and a piling which whendriven will develop an initial stress on the arch and in the jaws at apredetermined depth which initial stress may be opposed to the loads tobe applied when the piling is 'unwatered, and thus this interlockedpre-stressed pile wall will not move or deflect when loaded byunwatering or by placing of filling against the wall as does theconstant section arched piling wall of the type heretofore used.

Another object of the invention is to provide a construction whichpermits of making a piling of any thickness desired, and in which theweb or panel may be of any desired shape such, as for example, dat,curved, arched or angular according to various pressure conditions to beresisted. This feature of the invention permits the use of differentmetals in the construction of the individual piles. Forexample, wheremere water tightness is desired for levee work a thin cooper 'web mightbe as good or better than two or three times the thickness of ordinarysteel under the same conditions. Also, different thicknesses of metal aswell as different metals may be combined to'effectually resistcorrosion.-

A further object of the invention is to provide a fabricated steel sheetpiling which entirely obviates the use of rivets or other headedfastenings which have a tendency to build Vup resistance in eitherdriving or pulling and at-the same time producev a more rigid andhomogeneous structure which is not likely to lbuckle or warp. That is tosay, -Vit is'proposed'to weld the various parts togetherin such a way 1as to provide a smooth joint Which not only oers little or no resistanceto the operation as referred to, but also provides means for giving aneffectual water-tight piling Where the occasion demands.

lVith the above and other objects in View which will more readily appearas the nature .of the invention is better understood, the same consistsin the novel construction, conibination and arrangement of partshereinafter more fully described, illustrated and claimed. Y

Preferred and practical embodiments of the invention are illustrated inthe aecompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a detail end elevationof a rolled steel `sheet pilingmade by a rolling operation and havinginterlocking means at opposite edges thereof, the dotted'line indicatingthe point of division thereof to adapt the same to the presentinvention.

Figure 2 is av transverse sectional view taken on the line 2 2 of Fig..3. I

Figure 3 is an elevation of a simple 'form of piling constructed inaccordance withtlie present invention.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional on the line 4--4 of Fig. 3.

Figure 5 is an elevation of a piling having a modified form of web.

view taken Figure 6 is a vertical. sectional view taken on the line 6 6of Fig. 5.

Figures 7 and 8 are respectively a top plan view and elevation of afurther modified form of piling.

Figure 9 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 9--9 of Fig. 8.

Figures l() and ll are respectively top plan and elevations of a pilinghaving a channel web portion. Figures l2 to 20 inclusiveare more or lessdiagrammatic top plan views illustrating various forms of webs which maybe used to meet special requirements, thereby illustrating the widerange of application of the invention.

Similar reference characters.y designate corresponding parts ythroughoutthe several figures of the drawings.

Incarrying the invention into effect it isproposed to utilize acommercial rolled steel sheet ailino having an desired tv e ofinterlock, an example of which is shcn n in Fig. l.

and designated generally as A. This type of piling is made -inaccordance with standard.A

rolling mill practice and in lvarious lengths, the types of interlockvarying with diiferent manufacturers or mills. Therefore. the type ofinterlock shown in the drawings is merely representative Voffa form ofrolled steel sheet piling, andwhich because of the limitations ofrolling mill practicemust necessarily have certain characteristics whichadapt a given sectionon'lyfor a particular use and work.

rlhat is to say, rolled steel sheet piling is limf ited as to thinnessbecause the interlocks require rcertain thickness to give requisitestrength to holdl the bond'and maintain alinement when driving, and theintermediate web part must be .proportionately thick. Also, pilings ofthis type are limited as to the number of thicknesses since eachthickness requires a complete set of rolls (rolls cannot be parted for athickerk section) since the special interlock bevels vwill not allow ofthe usual practice for the thickening of a section. Furthermore, becauseof the special work that the rolls must do on the interlocks at eachside, rolled pilings are limited as to width. and since sections oflimited width cannot furnish suhcient plate or web for maximum depth ofarch requirements, deep arching or curving of the center web to providefor maximum transversey bending stresses Ais prohibited. A f A jAccording to the present invention, it is length to resist varyingbending requirements by the shallowing or lessening of the depth of thearches or channels of the web for the section of piling opposing thevarying loads; (D) and if supplied with a varying depth arched orchanneled web said piling will drive with a tighter interlock and withinitial stress in both the interlock and in the web of the pile prior tounwatering or adding loadings.

Accordingly, the present invention contemplates the utilizing theadvantages of rolled steel sheet piling as it is now available, and alsogreatly augmenting said advantages in the particulars referred to hereinby cutting or bisecting the piling unit A at or about the dotted linem-x Fig. 1, thereby to provide the opposite side sections 1 and 2, theformer having a head or key portion formed thereon and the latter havinga groove or channel for receiving the head or key of an adjacent unit.The said side sections 1 and 2, are according to all forms of theinvention, connected or joined by an intermediate web or panel B whichmay assume various forms and characteristics according to the use of thepilinfr.

Figs. 2, 3 and 4 of the drawings illustrate a simple or basic form ofpiling in which a single web 3 of uniform thickness throughout is weldedas indicated at lV to the inner edges of the side sections 1 and 2thereby to rigidly unite the web and side sections and provide anintegral body structure. To facilitate the driving and removing of thepile the upper end thereof is provided with a pulling head or cap 4which. is welded to the side sections and also to the web and may beprovided with holes 5 to permit of the engagement of a clamp, grip, orother means of handling the pile; and, the bottom of the pile isprovided with a penetrating point or shoe 6 which is also welded to theside sections and to the web as indicated, and prefen ably reinforced onopposite sides by lugs 7 forming shoulders to be engaged by an implementfor driving the piling. Thus, in its fundamental aspect the presentinvention contemplates a steel piling including a body having standardinterlock side sections and an intervening web or plate which gives areato the piling not otherwise obtainable in rolled steel; 'ngs asheretofore used.

ln connection with the weld W it may be pointed out that the said weldsmay be continuous as shownv or may be of the tack fusion type accordingto whether water tightness is or is not essential. That is to say, forsea wall purposes where water tightness is not necessary tack weldingmay be used but for colferdam purposes and the like continuous weldsshould be used.

ViThen a web of variable strength is required diiierent thickness ofmetal may be used at dierent locations on the vertical height of thepiling, thereby providing a stepped formation and distributing theweight as well as the strength where it is most needed to be effective.

Accordingly, by reference to Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings it will beobserved that the side sections 1 and 2 are united by a plurality ofplates constituting the web, said plates being designated respectivelyas 8, 9, and 11 and all being of different thickness and weight, therebypermitting of a. saving in the total weight of the web while at the sametime taking care of various pressures. In this embodiment of theinvention the piling is provided with a driving head 4a having the sainefeatures and characteristics as the driving head ll, and the footthereof may also be provided with a penetrating shoe 6 of the {ish-tailtype, the body of the shoe being formed with an inverted V-shaped notchby burning or otherwise removing the metal to provide the shape referredto.

By way of illustrating the range'of modilication permitted through theuse of the present invention reference may be made to Figs. 7 to 11inclusive, which show a depar- 'ure from the flat web type of piling toan angular or arched formation. In this construction the side sections 1and 2 are united byangular web members 12, 13, 14 and 15, the said uppersections 12 and 13 being provided with a channel portion flaringdownwardly from the point of contact with the head mem ber as indicatedat 16, until the member 14 is reached. The members 14 and 15 are of fullangular cross section formation, and all of the channel members are ofdifferent thickness. The bottom or foot of the piling is provided withan earth boring shoe or point 6b for assisting the emplacement of thepile in the earth.

According to Figs. 10 and 11 the side sections 1 and 2 are connected bythe full channel sections 17, 18, 19 and 20 while the top provided withthe driving head 11C and the bottom is provided with an earth boringshoe 6c. The edge portions of the channel members referred to are weldedto the side sections and the upper members l? and 18 are provided with atapered or inclined face or wall 1? which brings the upper edge thereofinterlined with the driving head 10.

Figure 12 of the drawings illust 'ates diagrammatically the arrangementof a plurality of piles of channel shape formation, the saine having theinterlocking side sections 1 and 2 arranged in alinement with thechannel web members B located all on the same 'side of the interlocks.ln this form of embodiment, the side walls of the channel webs aredisposed at right angles to the plate portions of the sections 1 and 2and the welds lV are formed in the included angle resulting from thisarrangement. Figure 13 illustrates a further carrying forward of thetype ofpile shown in Fig. 12 in combination With rolled. steel sheetpiles of standard construction.

Figures 14 and 15 illustrate the use of different forms of Webs B incombination With interlocking side sections Welded to the arched webmembers in the same manner as described in connection With Fig. 12.

igure 16 illustrates a double corrugated web B having the interlockingside sections 1 and 2 Welded thereto on the same side of the web and atrightV angles to the plane of the end Wings of the Web. In thisarrangement all of the interlocking joints are arranged on the center.Figure 17 illustrates a further carrying forward of the double bend typeof web with the side sections 1 and 2 Welded to the Webs at an obliqueangle which has the effect of locating all of the interlocks in line atone side of the transverse center of the Webs.

Figures 18 and 19 illustrate the use of r lled channel sections havingWing portions lying parallel with the bottom of the channels toconstitute the Web B of the piling. In Figure 1S the interlocking sidesections 1 and 2 are Welded to the Wings at right angles thereby tolocate the longitudinal aXis of the joint parallel to the line ofdirection of pressure exerted on the piling. In Figure 19 the sidesections 1 and 2 have an edge to edge engagement with the side'edges ofthe Webs so that in effect the interlocking side sections arecontinuations of the flat portions of the Webs as they have been Weldedthereto as indica-ted at W. Y j

Figure 20 shows a structural arrangement similar to Fig. 12 but With theWebs B reversed thereby placing them at opposite sides of a center lineintersecting the joints provided by the interlocking side sections 1 and2. l l

- From the foregoing it will be apparent that the present inventionpermits of the utilization of anytype of interlock desired as Well asany strength of web required in a practical and expeditious manner,While at the same time 'providing a fabricated piling which Will innoWay increase the diiiiculty, cost, or size of driver to be used fordriving the same because obstructions such as rivets, or otherfastenings are eliminated through the use of smooth and uniform Welds.Furthermore, the invention not only provides for lmaking a pile ofvarying thickness Where the pile resists varying pressures, and permitsof making a piling of practically' any transverse strength byinterposing a Web section having any desired moment of resistance eitheras a curved or formed solid web, or by interposing a Web made up 0f r1'l-ed sections having the desired moment of resistance. Y f

No; only does the invention provide for economically fabricating thepiling units at a plant but also permits of the fabrication thereof atthe site and permits of the change of the design of the piling as theWork proceeds, and because stock plates and shapes and even scrap shapesand plates of various thickness and sizes may be used, comparativelylight plate bending appliances may be readily used to advantage.

Without further description it is thought that the features andadvantages of the invention Will be readily apparent to those skilled inthe art, and it will of course be understood that changes in the form,proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to, Withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention and scopeV of the appendedclaims.

I claim 1. In a fabricated metal piling having side sections providedwith interlocking means at the outer edges thereof for engagingWith-'adjacent piling units, an intermediate web comprising plates ofvarying thickness connected edge to edge throughout the vertical heightof the piling.

2. In a. fabricated metallic piling having side sections provided withinterlocks at the outer edges thereof, a web member connected to theinside edges of the said sections, said web member comprising connectedplates of different thickness to provide interlocking strength at thebottom of the Web and maX- imum transverse strength at a pointintermediate the ends ofthe piling, the plates above said point being ofdecreased thickness successively and relative to each other towards theupper end of the piling.

fl. In a fabricated metal piling having side sections provided Withinterlocking joint portions at the outer edges thereof, an intermediateWeb member comprising plate sections of different thickness, the middleof the thickest plate section being spaced from the lower end of thepiling a distance corresponding substantially to the depth that thepiling is adapted to enter the ground.

l- Ina fabricated metallic piling having side sections provided Withouter edge portions adaptcd to interloc r i Yith adjacent piling units,a plurality -of transversely arched web members connected to each other'and said side sections, one of said Web members being relatively thickand being located intermediate the ends of the piling and the webmembers above and below the same being relatively thin.

5. In a fabricated metallic piling having side sections provided Withinterlocks at the outer edges thereof, a web comprising plates ofdiii'erent thickness, the plate of greatest thickness being at themedia-l portion of the web.

t3. In a fabricated metallic piling having side sections provided withinterlocks at the outer edges thereof, a web member, said web iso memberbeing of maximum thickness and strength at a point spaced from the lowerend of the piling a distance corresponding substantially to the depththat the piling is adapted to enter the ground and being of lessthickness towards the upper and the lower ends 'of the piling, said webmember being composed of a plurality of web sections each of uniformthickness.

7. In a fabricated metallic piling, having side sections provided withstandard type interlocks at the outer edges thereof, a web member, saidmember being thinner at its top and bottom edges than at its medialportion.

8. In a fabricated metal piling having side sections formed withinterlocking joint portions at tie outer edges thereof, an interme-1late web member consisting of a plurality of plates of varyingthickness secured to each other and to said side sections, a portion ofthe thickest plate being spaced from the lower end yof the piling adistance corresponding substantially to the depth that the piling isadapted to enter the ground.

9. In a fabricated metal piling having side sections formed withinterlocking joint portions at the outer edges thereof, an intermediateweb member consisting of a pluralityT of plates, certain of said platesbeing transversely arched.

10. In a fabricated metal pilin-g having side sections formed withinterlocking joint portions at the outer edges thereof, an intermediateweb member consisting of a plurality of plates of different thickness,certain of said plates being transversely arched.

11. In a fabricated metal piling having side sections formed withinterlocking joint portions at the outer edges thereof, an intermediateweb member consisting of a plurality of transversely arched plates ofdifferent thickness connected end to end to each other, and at theirside edges with the side sections.

12. In a fabricated metal piling having side sections formed withinterlocking joint portions at the outer edges thereof, an intermediateweb member consisting of a plurality of transversely arched plates,inclined downwardly and outwardly relative to the plane of theinterlocks.

13. In a fabricated metal piling having side sections formed withinterlocking joint portions at the outer edges thereof, an intermediateweb member consisting of a plurality of plates, the plates at the lowerend of the piling being `of transverse V-shaped formation, said V-shapedformation gradually diminishing in width .toward the top of the pile.

14. In a fabricated metal piling having side sections formed withinterlocking joint portions at the outer edges thereof, an intermediateweb member consisting of a plurality of plates of transverse channelshaped formation secured to each other and to the side sections, andcertain of the walls of said channel shaped plate sections incliningoutwirdly and downwardly from the top of the p1 e.

15. A metal piling comprising a self-sustaining frame composed of spacedside members and transverse top and bottom connecting members which arerelatively stiff and sturdy to hold the frame against collapse, and arelatively thin and less stiff and sturdy web filling said frame.

16. A metal piling comprising a self-sustaining frame composed of spacedside members and transverse top and bottom connecting members which arerelatively stift' and sturdy to hold the frame against collapse, thebottom connecting member being arched relative to the plane of the sidemembers, and a relatively thin and less stiff and sturdy web fillingsaid frame.

17. A metal piling comprising a self-sustaining frame composed of spacedside members and transverse top and bottom connecting members which arerelatively sti and sturdy to hold the frame against collapse, the topconnecting member being straight and being disposed in the plane of theside members, the bottom connecting member being arched relative to theplane of the side members, and a relatively thin and less stiif andsturdy web filling said frame.

18. A metal piling as set forth in claim 15 in which the bottomtransverse connecting member is provided with a driving lug.

19. A metal piling as set forth in claim 15 in which the bottomtransverse connecting member is provided on opposite side faces thereofwith driving lugs.

20. A metal piling as set forth in claim 15 in which the web is composedof plates which are of increasing thickness respectively from the endsof the piling towards a point spaced from the lower end of the piling adistance approximately equal to the depth that the piling isadapted toenter the ground.

21. A metal piling comprising straight side members and a connecting weba portion of which is inclined downwardly and outwardly relative to theplane of the side members.

22. A metal piling as set forth in claim 21 in which a portion of theweb is of substantially V-shaped formation in cross section.

23. A metal piling as set forth in claim 21 in which a portion of theweb is of channel shape in cross section.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

MEIER GEO. HILPERT.

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